MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Historic Endurance model unveiled in Stanley

The finely crafted 1:52 scale model was built in Dnipro, Ukraine, by retired engineer Vitaliy Vrubel amid ongoing conflictx

A scale model of the Endurance, the legendary polar ship of Ernest Shackleton, was officially unveiled on Thursday at the Jetty Visitor Centre in Stanley, becoming a new long-term public exhibit, according to the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust (FMHT).

The finely crafted 1:52 scale model was built in Dnipro, Ukraine, by retired engineer Vitaliy Vrubel amid ongoing conflict. It reached the Falklands aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough, operated by the British Antarctic Survey, after travelling through Antarctic waters in a symbolic echo of Shackleton’s expedition.

 

The unveiling was hosted by the FMHT in partnership with the Falkland Islands Tourist Board and included remarks on the Trust’s ongoing work and future plans. “This remarkable model has already lived a story of endurance worthy of its name,” said Elena Lewendon, noting that it was crafted under extreme conditions and has now arrived in a place “forever connected to Shackleton’s story”.

Originally commissioned by the Shipwreck Treasure Museum in Cornwall, the model was acquired by the FMHT after the museum’s closure to ensure it remained accessible to the public. It is now on loan to the Tourist Board and will be displayed at the Jetty Visitor Centre for residents and visitors alike.

Stephanie Middleton, Executive Director of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board, said the model is “a wonderful addition to the maritime stories we are proud to share with our visitors”.